Adelante Movement and U.S. Small Business Administration Join Forces to Strengthen Latina-Owned Businesses

Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (left) and Nely Galán of the Adelante Movement sign an agreement to help start, maintain, strengthen and expand Latina-owned small businesses.

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The Adelante Movement, headed by Nely Galán, along with Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and member of President Obama's Cabinet, joined to sign a first-ever agreement to help start, maintain, strengthen and expand Latina-owned small businesses on June 13.

This historic partnership will focus on unifying the women of The Adelante Movement and a government agency that share the same mission: bringing attention to the role Latina women play in America's emerging economy by providing information, support, training and resources needed for aspiring Latina entrepreneurs to become successful businesswomen.

“This is another venture to reach out to another powerful and extensive constituency that Nely Galan and The Adelante Movement have amassed,” said Administrator Contreras-Sweet. “This is going to be a significant partnership, and I know it will bear fruit for Americans. We’re going to create more jobs, have more impact, transform communities, and brighten up lives.”

Nely Galán

There are more than 940,000 Latina-owned businesses in the United States, and they represent one of the fastest-growing segments of small business owners.1 Yet many Latina business owners and entrepreneurs are unaware of the opportunities, programs and services available to help them succeed.

“There is no true empowerment until we make our own money and we are self-reliant financially,” said Galán. “I wanted to work with the SBA because I know that the secret for all of us is that we all have an information gap. We don’t know about all the money that’s out there for us. This is a very important partnership because the number one thing that community organizers and advocates have to do for women is show them step by step how to go get the money.”

The Adelante Movement (Move Forward!), founded by Nely Galán, is a grassroots movement that empowers and unites Latinas economically and entrepreneurially in the U.S. and is a part of Coca-Cola's global 5by20 women's economic empowerment initiative. Learn more at www.theadelantemovement.com and www.5by20.com.

Nely Galán, founder of The Adelante Movement, is author of New York Times Bestseller Self Made, a Latina media dynamo and women's empowerment advocate. A Cuban immigrant and self-made media mogul, Galán was the first Latina president of a U.S. television network (Telemundo). She is an Emmy Award-winning producer of more than 600 episodes of television in Spanish and English, including the FOX hit reality series "The Swan."

Source: Center for American Progress - “How Women of Color Are Driving Entrepreneurship” June 2014

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